Friend: You should watch “The Last Man on Earth”
Me: That one with Will Forte? On FOX?
Friend: Yes. It’s really funny. You need to watch it.
Me: But, isn’t it on FOX?
And so, on we went, me questioning how a live television comedy could actually be recommended by someone with good taste (of which my friend is impeccable) and him answering that, despite all previous signs to the contrary, this show was actually pretty good.
This feeling isn’t about The Last Man on Earth specifically. In fact, I’ve only seen those first two episodes… and who the hell knows, the rest of the series could absolutely stink, but that’s not what this feeling is about.
What this is about is finding out about a new show, one you’d already heard of but didn’t have either enough energy or interest to seek it out on your own, actually hearing good things about it, and then watching it to discover that it was, in fact, as funny as your good-tasted friend said it would be.
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of good comedy out there. Broad City, Man Seeking Woman just to name a few… But I already knew about those. I have expectations for them and I’m not surprised when they make me laugh. But, finding a new player for the roster? That’s a swell feelin, y’all.
Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Well, there’s two. There’s the obvious, which is that the show you’re recommended sucks worse than Mulaney. Or, perhaps more soul-crushing, is realizing, after investing in the entire season, that it never got better than those first two episodes.
scott spinelli 